1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to protection devices and, more particularly, relates to a combination power and communication line protection apparatus which provides the needed ground for communication line protection by utilizing the powerline ground as a common ground path in a convenient plug-in assembly.
2. Discussion of the Relevant Art The art abounds with protection devices utilized on power lines and communication lines. Typical of these protection devices are U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,855 issued to Gilberts on Dec. 5, 1979; U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,071 issued to Fussell on May 10, 1977; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,635 issued to Moe on Jan. 21, 1969. The protection devices utilized in the aforementioned patents are designed to specifically protect powerlines or communication lines and are not suitable for the same use that the instant invention has been designed. The instant invention incorporates in a single apparatus a protection device for equipment input power lines, in addition to protection for communication lines carrying data to be received at a distant location.
With the advent of newly designed computers and electronic cash registers, it becomes necessary to provide A.C. power for energizing the computer or cash register device and, it also becomes necessary to provide a communication or telephone line so that the data being fed into the computer or cash register may be transferred to a central computer which may be receiving input information from many remote locations. Therefore, to minimize the installation time and wiring to be done in corporating a new system, it is advantageous to provide a single combination power and communication line protection apparatus which may be readily received into a conventional wall socket. The communication or telephone lines may be plugged into a receptacle provided on the apparatus that is in parallel with a duplicate receptacle capable of receiving the communication or signal lines emanating from the computer/cash register. The input and output receptacles are both protected with surge voltage protectors.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combination power and communication line protection apparatus as a unified assembly readily installable.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a means for establishing a common ground current path for a communication or telephone line to enable overvoltage bypass protection to function properly.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a simple inexpensive, readily installable protection device that will simultaneously protect telephone and power lines from overvoltage transients.
It is yet another object of the instant invention to provide a reliable, inexpensive, miniature assembly that may be utilized to contain a powerline receptacle and a communication line receptacle with internal overvoltage protection.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a combination power and communication line protection apparatus that may be installed by technicians installing computer terminals without requiring the need for disconnecting existing power lines and communication lines to provide overvoltage protection for both the equipment power and communication lines.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, a specific embodiment in which the invention may be practiced. This embodiment will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.